Suede products are used in the garment industry for making items of clothing. Finished suede jackets and coats, for example, are fashionable and command a high price in the market.
A major problem affecting suede products is that they are not washable in water. A finished suede product soaked in water generally becomes cracked and brittle upon drying. Moreover, suede products are not colorfast and the dye used to prepare them usually runs out after soaking, which leaves unsightly spots and ruins the garment.
It is therefore necessary to dry clean suede products. Owing to the cost and inconvenience of maintenance, the owner of a suede garment generally is careful not to wear it in the rain or in other inclement weather. This reduces the versatility of the garment. In addition, suede garments are dressy, so it is desirable to wear them for social evenings in places such as nightclubs. The heavy cigarette smoke pervading public places forces the owner to dry clean the garment after most outings.
There is need for a suede garment which is washable and colorfast in ordinary water and which will retain its luster and texture after washing. The need extends to a process for making such a washable suede product.
Another problem affecting the marketing of suede products is the high price of goatskin and kidskin suede. Because of their full grain and smoothness, they command a high price in the market. The process of this invention can obtain from less expensive sheepskin a finished product acceptable to the trade as the equivalent of kidskin, at about half the cost.